Puttur: Agriculturist takes up sandalwood farming to conserve species

Puttur, Jul 2: “Today the land of sandalwood is seeing its extinction; sandalwood trees are now an endangered species in India,” says Jairam Sharma, owner of a sandalwood nursery in Nelyadi.

Sharma is an agriculturist and his love for nature and concern for the environment led him to cultivate a sandalwood nursery on his 16 acre plot. Sharma started this model nursery ‘Chandana’, under the National Horticulture Mission, National Medicinal Plant Board, to grow the endangered species in 2003.

His mission was to provide more income to farmers and economically empower them, while increasing the extinct species ‘Santalum Album’ and ‘Pterocarpus Santalinus’ that are an asset to the nation and to the government.

Sharma is not only an agriculturist but is an expert on sandalwood plantation. He mourns for man’s perversion towards exploiting nature for his selfish wants.

He also said, “Karnataka is said to be the ‘Land of Sandal’ - ‘Gandhada Nadu’ - but what is the present of condition of this land of sandalwood? Sandalwood trees are reaching extinction. Both Santalum Album and Pterocarpus Santalinus have become endangered species. Even the huge trees in the forest are trampled down by the smuggling mafia.”

Narrating the techniques of sandalwood cultivation, Sharma said, “Basically, sandalwood cultivation is well-suited for dry land. On one hectare, a farmer can cultivate 500 plants. Today, in Australia, sandalwood cultivation has become a regular crop.”

“Cultivated plants can be grown for 25 to 30 years, but it is viable at the age of 15 years and it gets good market value. The cost of a sandalwood plant depends on its age and height. Basically, the Santalum Album is a semi root parasitic plant. Sandalwood plant can also be cultivated as a mixed crop between Mango or Sapodilla plantations. Seeds of this plant can be used for fat extraction for soaps and detergents. Apart from this, it can be also used as cereal grains for food but it is not affordable to the common man,” says Sharma form his experience of cultivation.

“India is pioneer of sandalwood and East Indian sandalwood has wide demand and market throughout the world because of its quality. Till 2001, there was restriction on growing sandalwood. In 2001, the Act was amended with regard to growing sandalwood trees in Karnataka, where in 2003 the state government implemented the Act on growing and cutting sandalwood trees without any restrictions. But a farmer has to sell the sandalwood to government-owned bodies like Karnataka Soap Factory, Karnataka Handicraft Emporium, or to Karnataka Forest Department. Unfortunately, a farmer doesn’t have an open market for sandalwood,” said Sharma.

Sharma sells sandalwood plants from his nursery in states like Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Orissa, but selling is not the sole aim. He also visits such places to check the condition of plants he has sold.

Talking on the products and demand of Red Sanders, he said, “Red Sanders is also used in preparing music instruments and idols especially which are exported to Japan. So, it has wide demand in the world.”

Sharma, feeling proud about his profession, says, “This profession gives me more peace and happiness where one can show love towards nature. If the market for sandalwood falls, no matter, but we can save this earth from global warming.”

As Franklin D Roosevelt said, “A nation that destroys its soil destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.”

I have 10 acres of fertile land near Garhshankar (Punjab). I am very much interested in Sandalwood cultivation.Would request you to kindly solve my queries related to Sandalwood plantation.

* Is it legal to cultivate and sell the trees* What kind of soil is required (PH level, contaminated content etc)* From where we can get sapplings * Cost of the sapplings* In which month we can plant the sapplings* At what distance the sapplings should be planted (if we only grow sandalwood trees)* Maintenance cost per acre / per year (Manure, fertilizers, water, security etc.)* How long will it take for the tree to grow* What will be the expected yield and revenue from one acre.

Can we grow sandalwood tree along with any other tree (poplar, eucalyptus, teak etc)

SirWill you kindly inform whether I can buy sandalwood saplings from you on regular basis for sale to buyers. Also please confirm whether sale of live sandalwood saplings need any licence or permission from the govt. Thanks

i want grow sandalwood in surround Visakhapatnam's basically iam agriculture graduate with lot of experience on agronomic practices of major crops suggest me it is viable or not plz give ur mobil no possible i want visit ur nursery

sir i am very impressed with your article. sir i would like to contact you to have some of the sampling to grow in my area. sir can i contact u.sir i have a barren sloppy land in goa and is it possible to grow it in this land. please let me know

I suggest when such articles are published, Daijiworld ( with permission )should also publish the person's contact no. or email address. For example, this topic is really interesting and educating . But I do not know how to contact Mr. Sharma for more guidance on this subject.

Excellent!Sir, you are doing a wonderful job.Please encourage -motivate -inspire everyone with your good thoughts to encourage farmers and agriculturist to earn more income by smart farming with value added products like : Teak-sandal wood- red wood and other valued products with mixed crop plantation.This message should go natio wide.SMART FARMING .Earn much more.state govt should keep on mass production of saplings in their nurseries and distribute to one and all @ a subsidized rate.

Happy to see Mr. Sharma work is bearing dividends. Will it be possible for Mr. Sharma to engage/interact with folks to understand bit more about his project? and also to understand how we can help?Can you please provide his email?

S. Ramesh NayakWhat about your previous forest minister is in coma from the past 5 years during BJP rule or he was engaged in sandalwood smuggling till now. Can u ask him why he was not legalized the sandalwood harvesting?

Hats off to Sharma,@Lydia Lobo,Kadri-Planting the saplings & taking care of them is a noble deed, but beware of smugglers, who cut them in night at tender age itself.Near my house one tender tree was growing behind a small shed, but it was cut by smugglers & it is no more.

I do understand your concern. We need revolutionists like Mr.Sharma to disperse Sandalwood plants in each and every possible space so that it will be too much for the thieves to grab. Lets join his movement.

This way, sandalwood will be an easily available product everywhere, no need to smuggle.

Your Hobby will kill the farmers Lady Lydia. Mr.Sharma is on a commercial way to help the nation and farmers. You can have any amount of trees at your Garden. But every where are you serious? Sandle wood adopt Karnatakas Geographical atmosphere. If every where in Karnataka then other state thieves will venture to steal and there will be another inter state smuggling racket. Please have the proper knowledge before commenting.

Mr. Sharma, I salute you for your love and dedication towards plant life. I will be your customer soon and will rear these saplings, not for commercial gain but for the love of nature.

Sandalwood is a dream possession. We did have a piece of this wood to use as medicine but I never saw the tree. I have that realized its not impossible anymore. My garden will have a prime spot graced by sandalwood plant soon.

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